Papua New Guinea: cities by population
Papua New Guinea has a population of 10,947,848 (UN estimate, 2026), with Port Moresby as its capital. The 47 largest of its 47 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+98%
since 2000 (5,537,064)
+36%
projected by 2050 (14,906,590)
24
people per km²
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in Papua New Guinea
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Moresby | National Capital | 283,733 |
| 2 | Lae | Morobe Province | 76,255 |
| 3 | Arawa | Bougainville | 40,266 |
| 4 | Mount Hagen | Western Highlands Province | 33,623 |
| 5 | Popondetta | Oro Province | 28,198 |
| 6 | Madang | Madang Province | 27,419 |
| 7 | Kokopo | East New Britain Province | 26,273 |
| 8 | Mendi | Southern Highlands Province | 26,252 |
| 9 | Kimbe | West New Britain Province | 18,847 |
| 10 | Goroka | Eastern Highlands Province | 18,503 |
| 11 | Wewak | East Sepik Province | 18,230 |
| 12 | Bulolo | Morobe Province | 16,042 |
| 13 | Daru | Western Province | 15,214 |
| 14 | Wau | Morobe Province | 14,629 |
| 15 | Kavieng | New Ireland | 14,490 |
| 16 | Kiunga | Western Province | 11,536 |
| 17 | Vanimo | Sandaun Province | 11,204 |
| 18 | Tabubil | Western Province | 10,270 |
| 19 | Alotau | Milne Bay Province | 10,025 |
| 20 | Kundiawa | Chimbu Province | 9,383 |
| 21 | Kainantu | Eastern Highlands Province | 8,509 |
| 22 | Tari | Hela Province | 8,186 |
| 23 | Rabaul | East New Britain Province | 8,074 |
| 24 | Ialibu | Southern Highlands Province | 6,915 |
| 25 | Kokoda | Oro Province | 6,199 |
| 26 | Lorengau | Manus Province | 5,806 |
| 27 | Kerema | Gulf Province | 5,646 |
| 28 | Aitape | Sandaun Province | 5,547 |
| 29 | Wabag | Enga Province | 3,958 |
| 30 | Kieta | Bougainville | 3,611 |
| 31 | Panguna | Bougainville | 2,916 |
| 32 | Kulumadau | Milne Bay Province | 2,500 |
| 33 | Morehead | Western Province | 2,246 |
| 34 | Ambunti | East Sepik Province | 2,073 |
| 35 | Londolovit | New Ireland | 1,644 |
| 36 | Samarai | Milne Bay Province | 1,638 |
| 37 | Porgera | Enga Province | 1,578 |
| 38 | Bereina | Central Province | 1,565 |
| 39 | Namatanai | New Ireland | 1,542 |
| 40 | Finschhafen | Morobe Province | 1,054 |
| 41 | Kandrian | West New Britain Province | 1,014 |
| 42 | Olsobip | Western Province | 1,000 |
| 43 | Laiagam | Enga Province | 921 |
| 44 | Buin | Bougainville | 750 |
| 45 | Ihu | Gulf Province | 712 |
| 46 | Manumu | Central Province | 596 |
| 47 | Wakunai | Bougainville | 558 |
Twenty years earlier: Papua New Guinea in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 5,848,951.
Common questions
What is the population of Papua New Guinea?
Papua New Guinea has a population of 10,947,848, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 14,906,590 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of Papua New Guinea?
Port Moresby.